34 Beneteau Swift Trawler

Source: Carl Richardson, Yachting Magazine

The Beneteau Swift Trawler 34 is the smallest of this French yard’s quirky, fun and very able trawler range and arguably its best

For: The best decks you’ll find on a Beneteau cruiser under 40ft

Against: You’ll have to pay extra for canopies and a bathing platform

Joining the ST42 and the Motor Boat of the Year Award-winning Swift Trawler 52, this 35ft cruiser offers excellent decks including a proper bulwarked starboard deck complete with a side gate for stupidly easy boarding.

In place of the usual flybridge layout a long and very useable upper deck lies above, offering seating forward and an open deck aft where a tender can be stowed and launched using an optional crane.

The boat is powered by a single 425hp Cummins diesel, delivering a top speed of 22 knots and a useful cruising rate of between 15 knots to 17 knots, giving the boat a range of around 200 nautical miles.

With a good slice of keel to the planing hull, you can opt to slow down and use the boat’s added stability for efficient displacement-style cruising and a range of close to 500nm. 

Regardless of speed, the ride is always confident and forgiving, especially in a head sea thanks to a fine entry at the bow. Inside the ST34’s tall trawler design delivers close to 40ft-levels of accommodation with two good cabins and proper toilet and shower compartment and a very bright and spacious deck saloon. The finish is typically functional, even sparse in places.

You won’t feel the same love as you might on, say, an older Grand Banks 36, but as a package it does work and, together with the charm of the exterior design and a few nice touches such as the huge saloon windows and neat little ports for the cabins, you do feel like you are on something a bit special.

Verdict

Close to 40ft-levels of accommodation in a 35ft hull makes this a great trawler choice.